Need assistance?
Dementia accounts for more than one in 10 deaths in Australia for the first time, reinforcing calls for greater investment in dementia care, support services and prevention.
The sobering milestone comes from new Australian Bureau of Statistics data that reports dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease, as the nation’s leading cause of death in 2025, responsible for 19,019 deaths or 10.1 per cent of all deaths recorded during the year.
In 2006, dementia was Australia’s fourth leading cause of death and accounted for just 5 per cent of deaths. Since then, the condition has steadily climbed the rankings, overtaking ischaemic heart disease and widening its lead as deaths from cardiovascular disease have declined.
Dementia Australia chief Professor Tanya Buchanan said the figures highlight the growing burden dementia is placing on individuals, families, carers and the healthcare system.
“The data underlines the critical need for more recognition and funding to support people living with dementia, their families and carers,” she said. “Despite the growing impact of dementia, investment in specific services, supports and prevention have not kept the same pace, and the stigma that surrounds dementia continues. This needs to change.”
The impact of dementia continues to be particularly significant among women. The disease has been the leading cause of death for Australian women since 2016 and in 2025, women accounted for 61.1 per cent of all dementia-related deaths.
According to Dementia Australia, an estimated 446,500 Australians are currently living with dementia and around 1.7 million people are involved in their care.
The ABS report also found Australia’s mortality patterns have largely returned to long-term pre-pandemic trends, with overall death rates declining in 2025. However, dementia continues to move in the opposite direction. Between 2016 and 2025, the number of deaths attributed to dementia increased by 37.3 per cent.
Professor Buchanan said the latest figures should prompt governments and policymakers to recognise dementia as a major public health challenge.
“With the numbers rising, Dementia Australia will continue to advocate for ongoing investment in the National Dementia Action plan to improve the lives and care of all Australians impacted by dementia,” she said.
Subscribe to The Ageing Agenda newsletters here and follow us on LinkedIn and Facebook
Advertisement
Comments are closed.